How the Seahawks, Dolphins snuck into the playoffs, plus legacies are on the line in TCU vs. Georgia

The Football Five 🏈

• With Damar Hamlin watching from a hospital in Ohio, Nyheim Hines returned the opening kickoff from the Patriots 96 yards for a touchdown. It was a moving moment in a Sunday full of ones that were dedicated to Hamlin.
• The Dolphins beat the Jets 11-6 in a defensive slugfest that saw starting quarterbacks Skylar Thompson and Joe Flacco combine for a mere 289 passing yards. Both teams came in with five-game losing streaks, but Miami came through with a big home win to stop the bleeding and punch its ticket to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. 
• Miami’s win spelled doom for the Steelers‘ postseason hopes, however. Pittsburgh beat the Browns 28-14, its sixth win over the last seven games and fourth straight, but will not make the playoffs by virtue of the Jets-Dolphins result. 
• The Cowboys mustered only six points in an embarrassing blowout loss to the Commanders — a team that had already been eliminated from the playoffs and was starting fifth-round quarterback Sam Howell for the first time — as Dak Prescott struggled mightily (14-of-37 passing for 128 yards, a touchdown and a pick-six). 
• While it came in a 38-13 loss that dropped the Cardinals to 4-13, J.J. Watt dominated with two sacks, three tackles for loss and a pass deflection against the 49ers in his final NFL game. Watt, a three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year who announced his plans to retire late last month, stepped away from the sport in style. 

Good morning to everyone but especially to…

THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Things broke just right for the Seahawks in Week 18, and they’re headed to the playoffs as a result. 

Seattle overcame an uncharacteristically weak Geno Smith performance (19-of-31 passing for 213 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions) to beat the Rams 19-16 in an overtime thriller.

At 9-8, the Seahawks still needed the Lions to beat the Packers in Lambeau Field on Sunday night to get the NFC’s last Wild Card spot. The day of destiny for Seattle continued, as Detroit knocked off Green Bay 20-16 (in a game that could’ve marked the end of the Aaron Rodgers era, but that’s a different story that will probably be harped on all offseason).

While the Packers result may seem stunning, it doesn’t hold a candle to the finish between the Seahawks and Rams at Lumen Field: 

• With less than a minute left in regulation and the game tied at 16, Smith scrambled for 25 yards before…